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Fire victim dies; boyfriend may face murder charges

LeFlore County Undersheriff Kendall Morgan confirmed Myrtly Cooper, 47, of Spiro, passed away Thursday morning at a Tulsa hospital. Cooper was the alleged victim of an assault and a house fire on Jan. 14 and has been listed in critical condition since the incident.Elec E. Cusick, 39, of Spiro, was charged with kidnapping and assault and battery by means likely to produce death in connection with Cooper's injuries. Cusick allegedly told investigators that he had beaten Cooper on the head with a wooden block until it splintered into pieces. Cusick also cut Cooper's leg behind her knee so she was unable to get up and leave him, according to investigators. Morgan said when they receive information from the Oklahoma Medical Examiners as to Cooper's cause of death, they will decide if they are going to file for murder charges against Cusick. Cusick is being held in the LeFlore County Detention Center in lieu of $150,000 bail.